Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-09-24
ALEXANDER R. SHEPHERD.


repors Of TN the D board q PUBIC PUBIC Works
the pTposes 81 the who Soa SSushs
curing the 100000 loan. had been defeated
Ia court and by popular vote, they commenced an
House OF Representatives, which body spent four
months in the Investigation, and made report in
May, 1872. the concluding paragraph OF which
The governor and members Of the board are on the
whole entitled 10 the favorable Judgment Of Congress.
with which they have started the bis,ric. upon new
OF and prosperity and the Dis
tons from Congress in some manner to
The beginning OF the year 1873 saw q great
change in the aspect Of the city, and Congress
au, r, that year made appropriations amounting
10 5000 600 on account OF improvements made in
| 'front.' OF United States property.
| SHEPHERD GOVERNOR.
Governor Cooke having rendered his resignation
| as governor in September, 1873, President Grant
at once nominated Mr.. Shepherd to fill the vacancy
and he was sworn in by Justice Macarthur at
The personnel OF the Board OF Public Works had
Deen changed by the resignation OF g. P Brown
R RaS 1ns apP9n5nent OF A. willard to III the
ernor Mr. Willard was elected vice-president OF the
BOARD, and Dr. J. b. Blake appointed to the va
cancy. Upon Governor Cookies retirement news
| paper syndicate began q systematic attack upon
governor Shepherd and the District government
These newspapers were those that had undertaken
10 eject Horace Greeley as Gen. Grants successor
| In tne White House. Having failed In this their
motto was anything to beat Grant" So notice
| the nomination OF Shepherd and his administra-
ton as or the Board OF Public Works
In this city, however, the nomination was received
with general favor, except by the obs,ructionists
| who now, having q number Of prominent news
papers to support them. raised greater clamor
| than ever about corruption" and the "Washing-
ton ring" This opposition took form in 1873,
| when petition making charges OF miSmanagement
andintinatng fraud was presented to the Senate OF
1 q raYllv r1rp-
| Sented by Senator Hamlin, in which he contro-
verted every allegation made and invited investi-
son. then member OF the House from Indiana O
joint investigating committee, composed OF three
ana INV hse appointed
upon an investigation OF District affairs.
senators senators Allison, Thurman and Stewart and
and Hamilton constituted the committee ". F.
Mattlngly and E. F. stanton represented GOV.
Shepherd, and ". NJ: Merrick and kobt. S. christy
| represented the petitioners. The investigation
Was searching and thorough and lasted until June,
1874. Everybody was examined who could throw
| and hearsay were freely admitted. The record
was swollen 10 thousands OF printed pages. When
the taking Of evidence was concluded and the con-
| sideration of remedies begun two circumstances
prevented the forming OF just and equitable con-
ciusions by the committee. One was the lack OF
| time, only two weeks Of the session remaining:
the other Was the determination OF the democratic
members OF the committee, led by Jewett OF Ohio to
prevent the application or any remedies ut all Or
der that their party might reap supposed partisan
| advantage, If the scandals based on charges Of
extravagant expenditure and irregular methods
were allowed to circulate during the coming cam
paign, without corrective republican legislation
| Wilson OF Indiana, appointed on the cOmmitte as
sp with the
gave Jewett virtual control OF the committee, and
he and tlsOn refused their consent TO everything
the Tne
| cluSlOn at all was constant struggle, sometimes
| stormy. Had II not been for the paramount ne
NaS- y0rS1fn oIfnyt tk,A
District withnnt frrher Se,av .boro o,S ~ ne
report at all at that session As finally
| which the District Government had been admin
lstsred pointed out It's defects and extravaganza,
ana aooiished IT,. But for the reasons stated the
explanatory and mitigating facts, which APP
| peare0 In the evidence and which changed
tne issue 10 one OF extravaganza and irregu-
lar methods, found no space In the report.
! ~hen the Oil establishing the new form OF gov
S,nen. lol tne Distrct Ment INTO enect, the Pres
missioner hut the Senate mner me cue "
newspaper clamor, laid his nomination upon the
| table. senator Allison, OF Iowa, the chairman OF
~ ,h ,o y suggested inc cause
rh tne LII ie1'er "rtten at the time, In
WHICH, ne says
-. II am sorry that Shepherd was Temporarily
sacrificed as he has done so much for the city He
nor.o o OF ntegrtS Dy tue nvesuxation or report"
hne Sem aork Tunes OF July 1874, contained
letter from Gov. Shepherd, In which he says:
Il have the Times Of the 25th and Goth and thank
you for the kind words contained therein. It is relief
to DC q free man once more aud have some time to
nr W. my h Wncn nas suffered sadly
S3nn onn than sno,id r. % Nv ieSs to-day py
time and energy spent in improvne this civ 10 nn S
I have never wronged anybody or any community,
have sfriyen to do my duty to God aud man. aud can
l6ok them IN the face conscious of having done
t reIurea sacrnce 70 oe onered up to satisfy
demamed Flat ny hcrd u ~ ieii 70 my late
where directly or indirectIv wrnny HaT Ss ~ nlhe
me or that they would out il to the vote NJ the ~
here guaranteeing to carry eightsnths in INV favor
Shall live 1t down right here conscious of having
zone t go9d WofH honestly fearsssy, aud inelli
" ny. upon teau!ns yoGt alnd words, and have
,n ~, sJo1i1'eu seI1"i upon you.
OenAoCIatS inoongreSS anu even on the 1nveSt1gat-
ing Goil ~ !reey aamlIteo tnat no fraud was
snow III GOV; SnepneIos management. President
Srant nau iul commence IN him as was Indicated
Peateo praise at Su0sequent times OF the work
Mncn snepheN had done 10 make the capital q
city worthy OF the nation.
SENATOR cAXERONS MANLY STATEMENT
In debate in the limited States senate shor.,r
orter tho retac,ton -, 1,o,, c,onha., ouol.S
Saa.o 20 Wv. on.pnelu ny the senate,
senator cameron, OF Pennsylvania, said: ''1t has
everybody who has had anything to Do with the
District government for the last three or fonr
years. 1 would like Senators to turn their atten.
ton TO what this District was what this civ Voc
fifteen years ago. and then contrast the Condition
OF affairs now. Then the muchabnsed nennIa ~
this city had here parcel OF strag0linp yfIIaTeS
every one OF winch was nnf,t tn rennssanss @
OF the great capita Of this coSntry any part
have made it one OF the most beautiful cities IN fS
world Ifthis AZ WORK has COST ittie 10 ,ne
money r. has added m the wealth os 49,. ..uSn
and woman who had foot OF ground in the ctt an